A Study in Fire
by Amako-sama
Summary: Crack-ish, Post-Canon-ish "As Rokudaime Hokage, I'm here to ask for your blessing to take your daughter, Yamanaka Ino, as my wedded wife." Inoichi never asked for this bullshit. It's all Tsunade's fault anyway.


I'm having entirely too much fun with this. This is how Naruto should have ended and you will not take that away from me.  
(also, I didn't suddenly turn British last night, so I'm still French and this is probably full of mistakes. As always, I apologize and if any of you would like to beta this thing, I would be enternaly grateful.)

* * *

The sun was still a careful light in the distance, barely peeking through the village's gates. The merchants were setting up their stalls at the market, kids cheerfully making their way to the academy. When she all but marched through the almost empty streets, civilians' and shinobis' eyes alike were on her. Haruno Sakura was a woman with a mission. No one was fool enough to greet her, let alone try to stop her.

She walked down Konoha's main street, leaving the Hokage building behind her, and headed for the Yamanaka Quarters. Sakura was buzzing with a blurry mix of emotions, thoughts tangling in her heads as the police station came into view. She bifurcated at the corner of the flower shop and quickly reached her destination. The Quarters stand proudly before her, the facade basking in the warm light of the sunrise.

The shinobi keeping watch nodded to her as she passed by him. As Tsunade's apprentice and assistant, she was in close contact with Yamanaka Inoichi, the head of their Intelligence Department. And of course, being Ino's best friend sure kept her in constant vicinity of the Quarters.

Sakura had a brief thought for her wrinkled clothes, still dusted from the mission she got back from the night before. She smelled of sweat and death, there was still blood crusted in her hair and a barely closed gash on her left cheek. But as the inner garden came into view, Sakura found that she couldn't care less. Clean clothes would do nothing to help her make her case.

She was greeted by one of Ino's many cousin and she quickly explained who she wanted to see. He didn't make an objection and she was led to a small office. The woman wasn't surprised to find the Clan Head still up at— god, six in the morning. She really wasn't going to make a good impression.

Inoichi politely nodded in her direction and she returned the gesture, sitting in front of him when he invited her to. He didn't spare a glance for her battered uniform. (She was grateful for small mercies.)

"What can I do for you, Sakura? I trust you just returned from an assignment. Did everything go right?"

"Everything's fine, Inoichi-san. I completed the mission without difficulties."

"I'm glad to hear that. Then I must ask what you're doing here."

"I'm sure you heard about Tsunade-sama's intention of stepping down from her position," she said with more confidence than she had.

"Yes, she informed the Council a few months ago. I believe your teammate is considered to replace her, though she said he wasn't ready yet. Has that changed?"

"Actually, no. Tsunade-sama still thinks he needs a little more training, but she doesn't believe she'll be able to fulfill her duties until then."

"I'm afraid I don't see your point, Sakura," he carefully replied, watching her with wary eyes.

"I'm not surprise you didn't hear about this; I was only told two hours ago. Tsunade-sama has decided to appoint me as her successor until she and I deem Naruto fit to take my place."

Inoichi stared at her in disbelief. He knew the Uzumaki kid was destined to be Hokage. He also knew about the Fifth's doubts regarding the young man. But he had never doubted the Fourth's son would take the mantle, sooner or later. That his pink-haired teammate would fill in the position for an unknown amount of time before that was a complete surprise. And so was the fact that she came to him a mere couple of hours after learning the news.

"In my absence, my candidature was approved by the Council and since I accepted the position when Tsunade-sama presented me with the idea, I am now the Rokudaime Hokage. And as such, I'm here to ask you for your blessing to take your daughter, Yamanaka Ino, as my wedded wife."

What.

"As it is, I haven't asked Ino yet. I wanted to ask you first. But I hope you realize the only reason why I indulge in this tradition is because you're the head of one of the biggest clans in the village. I have no patience for pointless mind games and I will ask Ino no matter your answer. I just want her to have your support."

"You want my permission to marry Ino."

"I do."

"But— you're both women!"

"That we are. Is it going to be a problem?"

"How come I never heard about your relationship?"

Sakura sighed, her weariness slipping past her mask of control. She brushed a blood-coated bang out of her eyes and glanced back at the Clan Head.

"We didn't want to aggravate you or the other clans. It wasn't a problem when I was just the Hokage's assisstant, but I'm going to be a public figure now. We can't hide anymore."

"Ino is my heir. She's bearing the true Yamanaka bloodline. She needs to have a child to carry on the kekkai genkai."

"Inoichi-san, I am probably the best medic-nin in the whole shinobi world. Be assured that if we want a biological child, we're going to have one."

"What of the clans' opinion?"

"I'm the Hokage. Like you said, she's your heir. I don't see how we could find a better situation than with each other."

"The village won't accept you. You're both—"

"Can we stop pretending for a minute?" Sakura sighed again. "Do you have any valid argument against our union?"

It was Inoichi's turn to sigh. He lost himself in the contemplation of the woman in front of him. She had an incredible history, carrying the legacy of the Sannin, and she was his Hokage. Her and Ino had been friends for as long as he could remember. No, he had no valid argument against their marriage. It didn't mean he was happy with the problems it would bring into their lives. But they were both very capable women and he didn't doubt their ability to face the village if needed.

"Ino doesn't know about any of this, does she?"

"No. I was appointed today, you're the first person I told about this."

"I'm not talking about that."

"Then what— oh."

Sakura appeared slightly uncomfortable as she fidgeted to find a better kneeling position.

"I don't think she knows. We discussed marriage a couple of times before, but nothing more than ideas and opinions."

"Then why now? How do you know she's going to say yes?"

"I don't. But like I told you, I'm now a public figure. And I'm going to properly court her. She's a clan heir, after all."

Inoichi could see the uncertainty under her proud facade. She was still very young and the fate of her village was on her shoulders. He knew how much she loved her teammate and she might feel a bit guilty to take the position he always dreamt about. He was sure the realitly of her situation hadn't sunk in yet, because he had been slightly disrepectful and she didn't correct him when she could have. He took a deep breath. He had known his answer the moment she had asked the question. Inoichi simply wasn't ready to give it.

"I have known you for a long time, Sakura. I don't doubt you're making Ino happy. You have my permission to court her. Make it worth her while, Hokage-sama."

The smile she gave him made the sunrise seem dull. He didn't miss the second it turned into a toothy grin. Oh dear. They were in trouble.

"Don't worry, Inoichi-san. I definitely will."


End file.
